A Samurai's Heart
by Patience Halliwell
Summary: Kenshin has sworn he will never love again. But after he kidnaps Karou Kamiya, will his bitterness continue, or will Karou be able to bring forth his emotions?
1. The Mission

Hey, everyone. I'm back. This is my first Rurouni Kenshin story. I'm sure this type of story has been done before, but I am still going to write it. Actually, I published this story about three months ago, just before my internet quit. So I decided to rewrite it. The plot is a little different. I felt that it could be improved a lot. It has the same principle, but you might want to reread it. It's more of a serious side then a comedy. I'm not the best as far as writing comedy. There is some comic relief. I'm not totally boring. Well, in the words of the Gorillaz' Noodle, here we go.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin (As if you didn't know that already).

**Summary:** The story takes place during the war to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate. Kenshin Himura is still the great Battousai the Manslayer. After Tomoe died, Kenshin thought he would never love again. He continued to be a manslayer to hide the pain. When one of his missions forces him to cross paths with Kaoru Kamiya, will he be able to keep his bitter side, or will he fall in love again? But most importantly, will he be able to protect himself from Kaoru's temper?

**Dedication:** This is the first time I've ever done this, but I thought I had to. **Animelover**, this story is dedicated to you.

**The Mission**

It was a cold, moonless night. For once in a long time, Kyoto's soil had not been stained with blood. Fighting had started to slow down. The Meji army had started to take control of the city and, most importantly, had been able to defeat most of the shogun's soldiers. They still had a long way to go before the government was overthrown, but it seemed definite that the Tokugawa Shogunate would die. Pretty soon it would be nothing more than a memory. But for now, there were things to take care of. The Meji government left that work to a secret force of samurais called the Ishin Shishi** (1)**.

Katsura** (2)** was the leader of these samurais. And on this night, he was meeting with a very skilled and powerful assassin. He wasn't too fond of meeting in dark places where he could be attacked easily. The shogun could have sent an assassin of his own to kill him. But he knew if they did send someone, the man he was meeting with would easily dispose of them. He trusted the samurai with his life, for he had served him well.

Katsura walked under the dock as the waves crashed against the shore. In the shadows of the pier stood a man in a dark blue kimono and white hakama. He kept his left had on his sword, ready to attack at a moment's notice if needed. His long red hair was pulled into a high ponytail. His purple eyes were calm but cold.

But the most distinguishing characteristic about this samurai was the scar on his left cheek. One line he received from a daimyo guard and the other from his love. This is why he was known as Samurai X. He was feared by many but known by few. Only this scar could identify him. He was the best assassin Japan had ever known, fighting with the Hiten Mitsurugi style. He could cut a man down in one swing and would take on anyone, just as long as there was a reason for them to die, although he didn't mind killing anyone that got in the way of his target. And like all assassins, Battousai the Manslayer never wasted time. He stepped out of the shadows to great his friend.

"It has been a long time, Katsura. Are we close to ending this horrid war?"

"I thought you enjoyed killing so much," Katsura stated with a smile. Battousai's eye narrowed. He wished nothing more than to live in peace. But as long as the Shogun continued to treat the people unfairly, he would fight for their freedom. "We have a long way to go, but victory should be ours within two years at the most. For now, I have a job for you. You will enjoy this."

"Cut to the chase," Battousai said impatiently. Katsura sighed and pulled out an envelope.

"The master of the Kamiya Kasshin style was a captain for the Meji army. When he thought it was safe, he fled Kyoto and returned to Edo. The army has named him a deserter and a traitor to our cause. He should be easy to find. He might have guards, but they shouldn't pose as a threat to you. You will travel to Edo and execute him. Then you will return to the meeting spot with proof of his death. I will see you in a few days." The samurai bowed and started to walk off, but his boss stopped him. "Battousai, I don't want anyone to find out about us. Make sure you kill everyone." Battousai didn't turn at the command.

"I understand," he finally uttered. He then began his journey to Edo, the capital of Japan.

* * *

A young woman watched as the cherry blossoms fell from the trees. It was a warm, peaceful night. She was grateful for her father's return. It had been almost two years since she had seen him last. He had left to fight the federalists and had finally returned. She had no idea what had happened in Kyoto, but she couldn't care less. All she cared about was her father's safety. He was finally home. It was funny, though. He asked for no celebration and would never talk of how the war was going. It didn't matter to her. She was just happy to have her family back.

"Kaoru," a man's voice rang through the dojo. Kaoru turned around to meet her father's eyes. She smiled as she ran to embrace him. "Kaoru, what are you doing out here? It is dangerous."

"Don't worry, father. I am the assistant master of the Kamiya Kasshin style. I'll take them out with one blow." Her father laughed at this comment. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. It seems like yesterday you held your first wooden sword. Now you are seventeen. Pretty soon you will have to marry. Let's just hope your husband can handle you. Let's go inside. It's going to get cold." They started to walk in when Kaoru realized that she had dropped her hair comb. She could never leave it behind. It had a lily carved into it and was painted to match her dark blue eyes. Her mother gave it to her before she died when she was seven** (3)**. She found it and brushed the dirt off. Just then, she heard shouts coming from inside the dojo. She would never forget the sight she saw when she ran in.

Her father had his back to her and was fighting a samurai. He went to attack him. He was fast, but not fast enough. The samurai dodged him and cut through his middle. As he completed the cut, blood splashed on Kaoru's purple kimono and face. Her eyes were wide in fear, and her face pail from shock. She watched as her father's body fell into the pool of blood.

The red-haired samurai looked at the girl with surprise. She wasn't screaming or running. He thought for a moment. Should I kill her? Katsura told me to eliminate everyone. But she's just a girl. The samurai watched as the girl walked towards him.

"You…father…why…" She wasn't making any sense. Had she gone insane? Battousai thought. He quickly dropped his sword as she started to fall to the ground and caught her in his arms. She had fainted from the shock. As he examined her face, he noticed her pale, delicate complexion and her perfect lips. She was very beautiful, nothing like the girls he had seen. The only one that could match her beauty was…

"Tomoe." He laid the girl down on her back and wiped the blood from her face. He then wiped the blood from his sword and sheathed it. He looked at the slaughtered man. He still had his scroll of duty. That would surely be enough proof. He grabbed and flew out of the dojo, hoping that the young girl would be alright.

* * *

Phew! That took a lot of time. I hoped you liked the first chapter. The next one will have more of Kaoru in it.

I decided to have little footnotes for all of you. I did a little research on Rurouni Kenshin. If you have any questions about anything else, I'll try to help out as best as I can.

1. The Ishin Shishi were the "patriots" of Japan during the Meji Revolution who fought the shogun so power could be restored to the Emperor of Japan.

2. Katsura was a leader of the Ishin Shishi in the Trust/Betrayal OVA for Samurai X. He first hired Kenshin to kill when he was a teenager. Katsura was always found of Kenshin, so I thought I would bring him back.

3. I'm not exactly sure how old Kaoru was when her mother died. In the Reflection OVA and TV series, she looks to be around seven and that seems to be the age when kids lose their parents in Anime.

That's pretty much it. Thanks for reading. It would even be better if you review. You might see your name at the end of my chapters. What a great motive! Well, cya.


	2. Assassinations, Kidnapping, I do them Al

**Assassination, Kidnapping, I Do It All**

Kenshin returned to the old mansion where he was to meet Katsura in. The house looked like a ghost house. It was filled with cobwebs and covered in dust. There was also mold growing in the corners, and the furniture was rotting away. The only suitable area was in the underground dungeon. The house had been used as an old fortress to hold thieves and murderers. No one would have guessed that there was a prison underneath the amazing mansion.

Kenshin was to meet Katsura in the warden's quarters to report the news. He thought about if he should tell him about the girl that saw him. Would he send him back to kill her? Would he allow her to live? He was cut off when he heard a voice.

"What took you so long?" Shishio **(1)** asked with a smile.

"I had some troubles finding the place and taking down his guards."

"Nothing the great Battousai can't handle." Shishio looked up to the Battousai. He was, after all, suppose to follow his footsteps. He led Kenshin into the captain's quarters where Katsura and another man waited. "He has returned." Katsura smiled at Kenshin, who was staring at the other man.

"Kenshin, this is Shiro **(2)**. He will be working with us from now on." Shiro bowed to Kenshin. He was a little taller than Kenshin, but not by much. He looked about ten years older than the eighteen year old. He had short black hair and cold black eyes. He carried what looked like a long sword. Kenshin had heard stories about him. He could take out ten men with one swing of his long sword. But he didn't let that intimidate him.

"Did you finish your task?" Kenshin handed the dead captain's papers to Katsura. He looked at the papers and looked into Kenshin's eyes. "Were there any problems?" Katsura asked. Kenshin tried to avoid his master's eyes, but he couldn't hide it anymore.

"A girl saw me kill the traitor. He called her father. She fainted at the scene, so I left." Shiro banged his fist on the desk.

"You fool, you were to kill everyone. She will go to the police and report you. You should be flogged for your carelessness." Katsura silenced the man. Kenshin could see the disappointment on his face. Shiro was right. He did deserve to be punished. He would gladly accept it.

"You said the girl called him father?" Katsura asked. Kenshin nodded. "Did you catch her name?"

"No," Kenshin answered.

"Hmm, this could work. The captain was working for the shogun. I think that she was supposed to marry his son. Maybe we could work something out. Kenshin, I want you to go back to the Kamiya dojo and bring the girl here…alive. Understood?" Kenshin nodded.

"Before I leave, I want you to know that whatever punishment you have for me I will accept."

"You may not have one. Now go. I don't want to waste time." Kenshin ran from the dungeon and left the house. Katsura sighed. "What do you think?"

"This could be the turning point of the war," Shishio stated. "We could have our freedom sooner than we think."

* * *

Kaoru was kneeling in front of her father's coffin praying. She wondered what she would do without her father. It was hard enough that he left her for so long. He had just returned from the war, and now he was dead. She was all alone in the world. She was interrupted by a man's voice.

"Kaoru, I am sorry for your lost." The man had his long black hair braided down his back. His brown eyes warmed her heart as he hugged her.

"Thank you, Kyochi **(3)**. You shouldn't be here. The same men that did this to father could come after you." Kyochi smiled and drew Kaoru into a kiss.

"I don't care. I can't leave my bride-to-be alone in danger. Come back to the castle with me. My father will provide safety for you."

"I'm not sure if I'm ready to come to the castle," Kaoru stated. It was true that she was fond of the shogun's son. She was to marry him in two weeks. Her father had made the arrangement with the shogun so Kaoru could live a long and rich life. Kyochi did love Kaoru, but Kaoru was unsure about her feelings toward him.

"Please, Kaoru. You are not safe her. I know you want to mourn your father, but your father wouldn't want you to stay in danger for his sake. I will leave tomorrow. Send your answer then." Kyochi left her to herself. Kaoru knew he was right. Her father would want what was best for her.

She decided to go to bed early that night. She had just finished combing out her hair when she noticed the window open. She looked out into the sky. The stars were shining so brightly that night. Her father told her that when someone dies, they watch from the stars and guide them. He always told her that her mother was watching over her. Maybe her father was watching with his wife. The thought brought a smile to her face. She closed the window and put her mother's comb in her kimono. Just then, she felt someone grab her and put a knife against her throat.

"Don't move or scream, unless you do not value your life." The man's voice was cold. Had he come back to kill her, or did he want something else. "Are you the captain's daughter?"

"Yes, what do you want?" she asked. He said nothing. "If you have come her to take my life, then do it. I have no desire to live. Just do it quickly." She closed her eyes, waiting for him to pull the knife across her neck.

"I could do it in an instant. This is true. I could also make your suffering last. But for now…" Kenshin hit her in the neck and caused her to blackout. "I need you alive." He picked up the unconscious Kaoru and headed back to the fortress.

**1.** Shishio was supposed to follow in Kenshin's steps as a manslayer. His philosophy was an old shogun concept. "The strong shall live and the weak shall parish from this world."

**2.** Shiro is a new character that I added. He should be an interesting man with plenty of twists and temper tantrums.

**3.** Kyochi is also a made-up character. I have no idea if Tokugawa Yoshinobu had a son. Just a little angst I wanted to add.


	3. Samurai of the Meji Army

Hey guys. I guess you really like the story. Keep the reviews coming. I love the really long ones. Since you love my story so much, I'll start the next chapter.

**Samurais of the Meji Army**

Kaoru started to wake up. She wished that she hadn't awakened. Her head was throbbing and her neck was sore. She tried to stand up but fell to the ground. She tried to focus the room, but it kept spinning. She sat against a wall and closed her eyes. She tried to think what had happened and how she got there. Then she remembered the mysterious voice telling her that he could end her life in an instant. She remembered the cold sword on the back of her neck. Then…nothing. Everything had gone black.

As she opened her eyes, things stopped moving. She looked around the room she was in. It was very dark. She managed to make out chains connecting to the wall and the pile of straw she laid on. In front of her was a door made of bars. She finally figured out that she was in some sort of prison. She had to cover her mouth to muffle the scream when she saw a human skeleton covered in spider webs sitting in the corner. That was when she realized that she was a prisoner of war.

She heard footsteps coming toward her. She quickly grabbed a leg bone from the skeleton and hid it behind her. Two men appeared in front of the door. One of them took out a set of keys and unlocked the door. They smiled at the girl as they walked forward. One of them laughed and said, "We're going to have fun with this one."

"Yeah," the other one answered. "She looks like she has a lot of spunk."

"You got that right," Kaoru said as she hit them both over the head. One grabbed his sword, but Kaoru easily dodged him and hit his neck. The other swung at her with his sword, just catching her long black hair. She managed to hit him in the groin and run out of the cell. She had some hope. Maybe she could make it out of the prison and back to Kyochi. All hope faded when she turned the corner. It was a dead end.

She started running back but stopped when her way was blocked by two samurais. The one with short black hair spoke first. "Don't make this any harder than this is, unless you want Shishio and me to hurt you." Kaoru pointed her bone at them. Both of them stared at her and laughed.

"Let me take her, Shiro," Shishio said. He drew his sword and switched it so the dull side would hit his target.

"I am the assistant master of the Kamiya Kasshin style. I'm not going to let you boss me around like some housewife!" She charged at Shishio and started swinging, but the man dodged every attempt. The only swing that had made contact was one that hit the side of his face. He then swung the sword into Kaoru's abdomen, causing a shallow cut from the force. After she fell to the ground, Shishio raised his sword and switched the blade back to its original position, ready for the kill. Shiro laughed

"That's enough, Shishio. We need the girl alive. We'll tie her up and take her to see the boss." The men made sure that her hands were tied tightly behind her back. Since she had taken out two other guards and had managed to hit Shishio in the face, she would need to be restrained. She tried to scream for help, but the two men gagged her with a piece of cloth. They then led her away to the officer's headquarters.

Kaoru had heard about these samurais. They went around trying to bring the corrupt government to a fall. They stealthily rushed through the night killing men for numerous crimes against the Meji army. She even heard stories of innocent woman and children being slaughtered by this elite force of samurais. She could only pray that they would show her mercy. But why was she here? Was it because of her father or because she was connected to the shogun?

When they entered the officer's quarters, they pushed her to her knees. She looked up to discover a red haired samurai, the same one that had slaughtered her father. He glanced at her and then back at the man in the chair. He got up and walked to Kaoru. He removed the handkerchief covering her mouth and examined her. This girl is pretty, he thought. It's no wonder why the shogun's son would want her so badly. He lifted her chin up and rubbed her cheek. He was surprised when she whipped her head to throw his hand off her. She has spunk, too.

"I am Katsura, your captor. I am sorry about the way you were brought here, but I had no choice. I wanted to make sure you got here unharmed, which I see failed." He had noticed the gash in her stomach and instantly glared at the two samurais behind her. "You will be staying here until we receive your ransom. I will soon inform the shogun about your capture and give him our requests. I suggest that you behave during your stay with us. As long as you do, you will not be harmed. Kenshin," The red haired boy looked at his superior. "You will look after her for the time being. Make sure you take care of that cut."

Kenshin picked her up bridal style and carried her back to her cell. Kaoru could hear the man yelling at his soldiers as they left. It felt funny to be carried by the samurai. She wasn't really afraid. This samurai seemed to be gentle. It almost made her blush when he carried her back. When they got back to her cell, a futon had been set up for her. Kenshin laid her down, untied her bindings, and took out some bandages. He then lit a torch and filled a bucket of water from the pump. He looked at the girl as if he was waiting for something.

"If you want me to clean your wound, you are going to have to lift your shirt up." Kaoru did as he said and pulled her shirt out of her skirt. She then opened it so the wound was exposed, careful not to let anything else be exposed. Kenshin started cleaning the blood away. When he first touched it with the wet towel, Kaoru winced in pain. "Sorry. I have a swordsman's hands. They aren't very careful."

"How long will I be here?" Kaoru asked.

"I'm not sure. It could be a week or even a month. Until then, I'll make sure you are safe, and you get what you need. If you behave, I'm sure Katsura will let you walk around the prison. We will return you to the shogun if he meets our wishes. If he doesn't, I guess you'll have to live with us." Kaoru liked his voice. It was so warm and comforting, even though the words should have made her uneasy. Then Kaoru asked what was really bothering her.

"You killed my father. Why?" Kenshin stopped tying her bandages for a moment when she asked the question. How could he answer her? He decided to tell her the truth.

"Your father abandoned his post and worked with the shogun when he was fighting for us. He gave the shogun information about our attacks, and because of that, he caused us to lose our men." Kenshin finished tying the bandages. He started packing up but pulled out a loaf of bread. "It isn't much, but it should nourish you. I'll check back with you in a few hours." He left, locking the door behind him. At least now she could make herself somewhat comfortable. She thought about what he had said about her father. She couldn't see why her dad would betray someone. She supposed that he thought the shogun would win the war, and if he went back to him and married her off, they would be safe.

It didn't matter to her if she got out of there. There was nothing left to return to. Sure, she would go back to Kyochi and marry him, but she didn't love him. All she wanted to do was drop dead. But something told her to hang on. She couldn't put her finger on it, but the one called Kenshin seemed to bring her comfort. There was nothing to do except do what the samurais asked. She couldn't eat anything now, so she crawled into the futon and fell asleep, hoping that this was all a bad dream.

I guess there aren't really any footnotes, but I have some reviews to answer.

**Lmymomol: **I am a Samurai X fan, but I only watched the movie because I watched the Rurouni Kenshin series and thought that it might be good. Actually, we were studying about the "great sword hunt" performed by the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 19th century. I was excited about it because I love anything that has to do with Japan. So my history teacher, who is also a big Samurai X fan, brought in the Samurai X Trust/Betrayal movie in. I wish he would have brought in Reflection too so I could find out what happens. I think I have a good idea. Then I bought both movies from Right Stuf International Inc. (which is an awesome catalog to buy Anime) and found out that Reflection was about Kaoru and Kenshin's past together. I loved the movie though. It made me cry. It's a pretty said movie, but really good. It's my favorite video. I thought that Kaoru and Tomoe looked a lot alike because of their skin tone, hair and eye color were similar. They act differently, but why would Kenshin fall in love with Kaoru if she didn't somehow resemble Tomoe? I don't know, maybe I'm crazy. Hey, you're not the only one that writes reviews that are novel-length. But anyways, I hope I answered your review. Thanks for reviewing.

**Nolifer: **I'll try to make the chapters really long. ; )

**Anyone I Forgot:** Sorry, thanks for the reviews though.


	4. Attitude Adjustment

**Attitude Adjustment**

Kyochi threw his lamp across the room when his father walked in. He was out of control. His father tried to calm him in vain. He had to call some guards to restrain him. When he cooled down, his father asked him what was wrong. Kyochi handed him the letter and he read it out loud.

"We have captured your beloved Kaoru Kamiya **(1)** and intend to keep her alive for the time being. If you ever want to see her alive, you will give up the city of Edo to the Meji army and leave. We will allow you to decide for two months. Send up a red and blue flair before you leave, and you will meet your love on the banks of the Edo River. If you do not leave the city, we will send you Miss Kamiya's head in a box. It is your choice. Captain Katsura." Kyochi growled at the message. "They must be insane if they think I would order my forces to abandon Edo. I would never…"

"Tell your troops to pack up," Kyochi ordered. "I want to leave in the morning."

"But we can't," his father argued. "If we let them take Edo, then they could easily win the war."

"I don't care! I want my wife back!" Kyochi's father grabbed his son's shoulder.

"I will not let my city be taken by these rebels. You will have to go without her for now." His son kicked at a chair. "I know it is hard, but you have to keep a cool head if you ever want to be the shogun. You must look at all your options carefully. I will send my troops out to search for her. If we don't find her in two months, we will leave Edo. Can you wait till then?"

"I suppose. Thank you, father." His father left him to himself. How could he just stand there while his Kaoru was being held hostage? What if they were torturing her for information about the shogun's army? He might have to deal with her when she got back.

* * *

Kaoru woke up in her cell. She could smell fresh miso soup and rice balls. She sat at a table and ate greedily. She hadn't eaten since her father died, except for the small piece of bread that Kenshin had given her. After she finished, she noticed a package on the ground next to the door. She opened it up and gasped. It was a beautiful light purple kimono with a brilliant red obi. There was also a red ribbon for her hair to match **(2)**.

When she took her shirt off, she looked at her bandages. They were fresh. She didn't care who changed them. The only thing that mattered was that the pain was gone. She threw off her torn purple kimono and tried the new one on. It was a perfect fit. The obi was the exact length and she used the ribbon to tie her hair into a high ponytail. But for some reason, she took it out and tied her hair into a low ponytail, leaving one strand of hair on each side of her face dangle in front of her ears. She decided that since she was going to stay here that she should try something new.

Kenshin walked up to the door and greeted her. "Good morning, Miss Kaoru." His voice trailed off when she turned around. She looked so beautiful in the blue kimono. The color brought out her dark blue eyes and made her pale complexion look more delicate. The thing that he noticed the most was the way she wore her hair, a low ponytail with two stands of hair hanging loose. That's how Tomoe had always worn her hair.

"What are you staring at? Is there something on my face?" she asked.

"No. I see you have tried on the kimono that I bought. Katsura wants to see you." He unlocked the door and let her walk out. She noticed that Shishio was standing against the wall.

"Hey, cutie," he said teasingly. Kaoru ignored him as they led her down the long corridors. Kenshin kept trying to bring her into conversation, but she simply gave him an answer and then looked away.

"How's you stomach wound?" he asked.

"It's fine," she answered back.

"Did you have a good night's sleep?"

"Yes." She walked ahead of them a couple of feet. Shishio finally addressed his partner.

"Give it a rest, Kenshin. I'm sure she doesn't want to talk to you since you…you know." Shishio was right, Kenshin thought. She had watched him kill her father and then taken her prisoner. It would be a while before she would talk to him if she ever did. He couldn't get her off his mind. She was so beautiful, but she also warmed his heart. He promised himself that he would never love again. Then why was he acting like this?

* * *

They finally reached Katsura's office. Kaoru bowed to him politely. She figured if she wanted to stay alive, she should probably treat them with respect. Katsura smiled at her courteousness. He then caught Kenshin sneaking a look at her. He was definitely blushing. But then Katsura looked at Kaoru. She didn't glance at the red-haired samurai once. It was as if she and Katsura were having a staring contest. He decided to break the silence.

"I have just sent the shogun a message about your capture. If he fulfills or requests, we will return you to him unharmed."

"And what would those requests be?" Kaoru asked.

"He and his forces are to leave Edo and allow us to control it within two months. You will then meet him on the banks of the Edo River."

"I am not sure that you will be able to return me. If I know the shogun, he will not be scared so easily." Katsura smiled at the comment.

"The shogun's son is a spoiled brat. His father gives him whatever he wants. If I know the shogun, which I do, and if his son loves you, he will leave Edo as soon as possible. Then you can go to your fiancé and marry him."

"I am not sure I want to return to him," Kaoru protested.

"How dare you speak to Katsura like that!" Shiro scolded. "It doesn't really matter what you want. If I had it my way, we would be sending the shogun your head on a steak to show him that we will stop at nothing to overthrow him!" Kaoru started shaking at the harsh words but kept a firm face. She didn't want to, no, she wouldn't to give them the pleasure of seeing her terrified. She would hold her ground until the shogun's army pillaged the fortress and saved her. She could only pray that they kept her alive long enough.

"As I said before, we will not harm you as long as you behave. If you do what we tell you to do and keep up you courteousness, you will be treated well. I suppose that you need to exercise. You'll probably get aggravated if we make you sit in that jail cell. I will allow you to walk around the prison as long as Kenshin or Shishio are with you. Just remember, don't try anything you'll regret. Kicking one of them in the groin will not prevent them from hurting you. You may go." Kaoru bowed again and left the room, Kenshin hot on her heals.

Kaoru wished she could be alone, but she was stuck with this stupid samurai. She was getting pissed because he kept making passionate glances at her. Now he was following her. She finally exploded in the grand hall in the mansion above the prison.

"Why are you doing this?" she yelled.

"I was ordered to watch you," he answered nicely.

"Yes, you were ordered to watch me, not stalk me! Ever since yesterday, all you have been doing is gaping at me! It's getting really annoying."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," he said trying to keep his cool. He wasn't exactly happy about the situation either.

"Well I'm sorry that you are such an idiot! I'm sick of being here! I'm sick of being told what to do! And I'm sick of you!" Kenshin couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed Kaoru by the wrist and held her up. "What are you doing?" He then drew his sword. Kaoru's eyes became wide in terror.

"You need an attitude adjustment," he said as he put her over his knee. He then took the dull side of his sword and started spanking her. With each swing he said one word. And with each swing, she would let out a yelp of pain. He didn't care. He wanted her respect, and that's what he would get.

"You…need…to…stop…acting…like…a…child…and…start…acting…like…a…lady." He finally let go of her. She stared back at him with tears in her eyes. She hadn't been spanked since she was five. "Are you ready to act your age?" he asked as he sheathed his sword. Kaoru knew he was right.

"I'm sorry," she said with a bow. "You are right. I shouldn't treat you like this. It's just…" She started crying again. "It gets hard, you know, when your father wants to marry you off to someone you don't love. Then all of this happens. You are thrown around like a rag doll without being able to say a word about it. It gets sickening." Kenshin walked to her and gave her a smile.

"I'm sorry about your father. If I had a choice, I would abandon this life of death and misery. But I have a promise to fulfill. If you need anything, anything at all, I am here for you." Kaoru gave him a gentle smile. She decided that this might not be too bad. She would try to forget what had happened in the last couple of days and try to make the best of things. She would try to treat the samurai with a little more respect. "We should go back, Miss Kaoru. It's almost time for dinner."

"If you wish, you can just call me Kaoru. I kind of hate being called Miss Kaoru. It makes me sound so formal." Kenshin laughed at the comment.

"Alright, Kaoru. If you wish, you may call me Kenshin. I do not like being called an idiot. It makes me sound so stupid." Kaoru laughed at the comment.

"Alright, Kenshin. So you're a samurai?"

"Yes, I use the Hiten Mitsurugi style. The basic of it is being able to predict an opponent's moves."

"Well, can you predict this?" Kaoru wound up and, to her surprise, landed her fist against his cheek. He fell backwards in surprise. Kaoru ran to his side and knelt down trying to get him up. "I'm so sorry! I thought you would dodge that!"

"That's ok. We should get back so I can put some ice on my face." Kaoru laughed and lifted him to his feet. They smiled and laughed all the way back to her cell. From that day on, Kenshin and Kaoru got along just fine.

* * *

There's a long one for you guys. Hope you liked it. Kaoru and Kenshin should start getting along a lot better now. I got more reviews and questions. For the first three chapters, I think I'm doing ok. Here are some more footnotes and reviews.

**1.** In Japan, they put the family name first and then the name of the person. For example, Kaoru Kamiya would actually be Kamiya Kaoru. I will keep it in American form, but I thought you ought to know.

2. Tomoe does have similar clothing to the ones that Kenshin gives Kaoru, although I think she use a white ribbon instead of a red one. I thought I would make the connection a little stronger.

**Paige: **Why don't I write the whole thing? Believe me. I expect this story to be pretty long, about ten to fifteen chapters. It was going to be in one shot, but it got too long. That means if I wrote it all in one shot, it would be about forty-five pages long.

**Larie-chan: **Sorry if I didn't have the clothing right. Didn't they tuck their shirts into the bottom half of the kimono and use an obi to cover the crease? The kimono was probably a one-piece outfit, but I didn't want Kaoru to take her whole kimono. I should have probably waited with Kenshin telling Kaoru about her father. But now she knows that he was just doing his job and she won't hold much of a grudge. She's going to go around treating him like crap because of it, but not for long.

Anyways, thanks for all the reviews. If you have any questions at all, ask them and I'll answer.


	5. Remodling

**Remodeling**

Shiro was waiting in Katsura's office when Shishio showed up. Shishio had a smile on his face, but it disappeared when he saw Shiro's frown. "Hey, what are you so gloomy about?" he asked.

"Maybe you're just too happy, Shishio," he barked. "Have you finished with your tasks?"

"Yeah, most of those advisors had about ten guards on them. Nonetheless," Shishio opened a sack and dumped out the heads of his victims, letting them roll across the floor. "They won't be giving the shogun anymore advise. What about you?"

"Yeah, I got my targets, too. I also had to take the Battousai's marks. I'm sick of taking care of his business. We should just kill the bitch and be done with it! Then we can take care of the shogun!"

"Patience, my friend. We need her, remember? Besides, I've been getting some interesting information for my backup plan."

* * *

"Miss Kaoru, Miss Kaoru, where are you?" Kenshin yelled. He had lost sight of her again. If Katsura found out that she was wondering around by herself, he would have a fit. Kenshin finally found Kaoru looking out a window in an enormous bedroom. He noticed that she wiped away a circle of dust to let in some sunlight through the window. "Miss Kaoru, what are you doing in here? You're going to get us into big trouble."

"Why is there a mansion on top of the prison?" she asked. Kenshin had to think about it.

"I suppose that the government didn't want the people to know that Edo kept prisoners in the city, so they built the mansion over it to cover it up. I think the guards used it for hospitality, but it's been abandoned for years." Kenshin looked at Kaoru.

"Do you think we could redecorate it? It would be a much better place to live then that dusty old cell. All we would have to do is a little sweeping and dusting. Then we could buy some new furnishings."

"I don't know if we should," Kenshin protested.

"Why not?" They both turned around at the mysterious voice. It was Katsura. "It would probably be better to live in the manor rather than the prison. I can send for some furniture and shades. You two can clean the place up."

"But that will take forever!" Kenshin exclaimed.

"You only have to clean up a couple rooms to sleep in, unless you want to clean more. Think of it as a way to get better acquainted." He threw them some cleaning supplies and left. "Make sure you get all the cobwebs." They started cleaning the room. It was about ten minutes before Kenshin decided to start a conversation.

"So, any new loves in your life?" He regretted asking that question. Why would anyone ask a prisoner that?

"Well," Kaoru started. "I'm supposed to marry the shogun's son, Kyochi. My dad arranged it so I would be safe. I guess that didn't exactly work out, did it?"

"It must be nice to be connected to royalty."

"I wouldn't say getting kidnapped is nice. He is really sweet and generous. He bought me so many gifts. But they didn't mean a thing. You see, I don't think I love him."

"It is hard when you are forced to marry someone. But sometimes it isn't so bad." Kenshin had to pretend that he was married to Tomoe, but he liked it. Tomoe even asked him to marry her for real just before he killed her (1). "I was married once."

"I thought samurais didn't have time for a family."

"I wasn't supposed to have time, but it was for our protection. It wasn't as bad as I thought. In fact, the woman I married was the one I loved. But she died last year."

"I'm sorry," Kaoru said as he saw a tear fall down his face.

"It's alright. I do miss her a lot, but I've moved on. Who knows, maybe I'll find another person to love." Kaoru looked at the man before her. She could tell that he hadn't moved on. He still loved his wife. She couldn't believe how selfish she was. "I'm sure you'll find that certain someone."

"No," Kaoru said as she blushed. "I don't think anyone would want me now."

"Sure they would. You're pretty, smart, strong, and that comb in your hair makes you look more radiant." Kaoru touched her mother comb in her hair. She was glad someone liked it. She turned to Kenshin for one final question.

"Kenshin?"

"Yes?"

"Do you…think you could pass the broom?" That wasn't the question she wanted to ask. She decided to wait with the real question. Kenshin threw the broom to her and she caught it. "Thanks."

* * *

Yeah, I thought I would end with that little comic-relief. It probably isn't that funny. I only have one footnote for you.

1. In Trust/Betrayal, Kenshin accidentally kills Tomoe while fighting with an old fist fighter. He received the first mark of his x scar from Tomoe's first betrothed. Kenshin also killed him. At the end, he learns how much pain she has gone through because of him. In her dying moments, Tomoe makes the final mark on his scar so that he is reminded of her always.

And now, more reviews.

**Animelover:** Yeah, I had more. I erased it all because I'm improvin the story and changing some stuff. It will have the same plot basically, but some things will change. So if you've read it already, you might want to scan over it alittle. Don't worry. Everything will come back. Thanks for reviewing.

Well, that's it for now. Cya.


	6. Fantasy and Reality

**Fantasy and Reality**

It had been almost a month since Kaoru had been kidnapped by the infamous Battousai. She thought it would be horrible to be captured by a samurai. She thought they would torture her, rape her, anything to please themselves. But for someone that was a prisoner of war, she was treated quite well. She was given three square meals, daily baths, and even a nice comfortable bed in a nicely decorated room in the mansion above the abandoned prison. She was happy that she and Kenshin had taken the time to fix up the place. She was even happier that they had taken the time to get to know each other.

It was almost like living in a castle. They had fixed five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a study, the living room, and the dining room. Sure, it had taken them a long time to fix, but it was worth every ounce of energy. She was even allowed to practice her swordsmanship in a room built like the training room at her old dojo. The only thing she couldn't do was leave the manor. She could walk in the garden, but she could not step out of the walls. But for some reason, she really didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay inside the walls. Maybe it was because she felt secure. Maybe because she liked being surrounded by so many luxuries. Perhaps the real reason she didn't want to leave was because of Kenshin.

In the past month they had gotten real close. They never spent a moment apart except when they slept, went to the bathroom, or when Kenshin was sent on missions by Katsura. Whenever he was gone, she feared that he wouldn't return. But when he did return without a scratch, she was always waiting in the grand hall with a smile. Of course, she always chewed him out for being gone so long, but he just smiled and laughed. They could never stay mad at each other for long.

Katsura was starting to notice that the two were getting closer. One day, he called Kenshin into his study for a talk. "Sit down, Kenshin," he said as Kenshin entered. "I'm sorry. I forgot you prefer to stand. Very well. Do you know why I called you in here?"

"I suppose you want me to go on another mission," he said. Katsura looked out the window. He watched as Kaoru walk in the garden.

"She is quite the little beauty, isn't she?" Kenshin stared out the window. He was right. Her hair glistened in the bright sun. Her eyes were like blue sapphires that sat above her perfect cheeks and nose. Her red lips were just right, not too thin, and not too full. Her skin was as soft as silk and as white as the snow. Her kimono set off her curves perfectly. But Kenshin could not get over that smile. It was filled with so much warmth and happiness. She was a spirited young girl, and that's what he liked about her. She filled in the void in his heart. Could this be love? He thought.

"Listen, Kenshin. I noticed that you have taken an interest in her. She is very kind and charming, but I must remind you that she is our ticket to winning this war. She will be given back to the shogun's son, and I can't afford her falling in love with one of my men. If she did, she would only be in danger. You know that." Kenshin stared at him with a blank face.

"You are right, Katsura. I am Battousai the Manslayer. I could never love again, not after…" He couldn't speak her name. It would only hurt him more. He turned to the door to leave. "After this is all done, I plan to become a wanderer and repent for my sins as a manslayer. I will not have time to protect her. I can't love her."

"Can't you, Battousai?" Kenshin turned to his leader. "I know you love her, but you have to give her up. You will have to move on." Kenshin bowed and left the room. He walked by Shishio and knew that he had listened to the entire thing.

"Is someone head over heels for a certain girl?" he asked.

"Stay out of this, Shishio," Kenshin yelled.

"I know what you a feeling. It's hard to accept that you can't have someone you truly love, but you have to move on for the good of the Meji government. Let it go." Kenshin started walking off. "Where are you going?"

"To practice." Kenshin faded into the darkness of the hallways just as Shiro appeared behind Shishio.

"You shouldn't be talking about the good of the Meji government. So what is your plan for the girl?" Shishio smiled at his friend's comment.

"I already have a plan in action. Let's just hope that the Shinsengumi is up to it."

* * *

Kyochi pounded his fists on the table in frustration. He couldn't believe that his father's troops hadn't found his bride-to-be yet. They only had a month left until she would be executed. He was so determined to find her that he had been training with the Shinsengumi's best, Saitou Hajime (1). Kyochi had called his sensei in for a favor (2).

"You want me to find the ones that kidnapped your fiancé?" he asked his student.

"Yes, I want them to pay. I will make an example of them, to show that anyone who crosses me will wish they were never born." Saitou smiled at the young man. "What is it?"

"I'm used to giving orders to you, not taking them. It is surprising how everything changes. I have an idea who is behind this abduction. He is a very powerful and feared samurai. His name is Battousai." Kyochi gasped in shock.

"You mean Battousai the Manslayer?"

"Yes, but I am willing to face him. I will prove to him that I am the stronger man. My squad and I will take care of the situation." He bowed and left the castle to search. Just as it was getting late, he found himself in the middle of a backstreet. "Who is brave enough to step out of the shadows and face me?" He immediately drew his sword and blocked a swing aimed at his back. The man that attacked him had a hood on. As they fought, Saitou noted that he was fast and agile. He fought almost like the Battousai. As they landed away from each other, they both performed their best attacks on each other. After the attacks were completed, they both stood apart facing away from each other. Saitou's right-handed single thrust had cut away the samurai's hood while the samurai's attack had cut Saitou's headband in halve. They both turned to face each other.

"You are very good, Shinsengumi," the samurai said with a wide grin.

"You are not bad yourself," Saitou said. "You should come work for the shogun."

"I already have a clan. The reason I have come here is not to kill you, but to share some information with you (3)."

"What information is that?" Saitou asked. The man's face came into view. His most shocking feature was his red fiery eyes. "What is your name?"

"My name is Shishio, and I have some information about the shogun-to-be's fiancé. Perhaps we can make a deal."

* * *

I know. Nasty cliffy. I hope you guys are enjoying this. Here are some more footnotes.

1. Saitou Hajime is a Shinsengumi character from Trust/Betrayal and the TV series. He fought Kenshin once in the revolution and once in the TV series. I have some good plans for him as well.

2. Kyochi wasn't really Saitou's student. It was actually another Shinsengumi called Okita Soshi I think. Still, it makes it interesting that they are connected.

3. I have no idea how Shishio got his information or what he did with it. I think he gave it to the Shinsengumi, hence him meeting with Saitou. This is just a theory. Do not quote me on it.

**Animelover: **You rock! You are totally awesome. I'm so glad you are reviewing my stories. Just don't stop. I've decided to dedicate this story to you. Aren't you flattered? I hope so.

Thanks for reviewing, everyone. Cya.


	7. True Love

Hey, people. I bet you're ready for the next chapter of A Samurai's Heart. Well, here it is.

**True Love**

Kenshin was leaning against the window in his room. He was so frustrated that he could have cut the house in half. "Why was he doing this? Katsura doesn't have the right!" He kept playing the past events in his head over and over again.

_

* * *

Shiro had led Kenshin to Katsura's office earlier. He wondered why he wanted to talk to him. Was it about his previous kill? Had the shogun decided to dispatch his army? Had the Shinsengumi discovered their plans? When Kenshin heard Katsura's demands, he only wished it._

"_I've decided that the shogun is taking too long to respond to our requests. It has been two months. Unless he moves out within the hour, we will execute the girl." That shouldn't have mattered to Kenshin. He was the great Battousai, for Buddha's sake_ (1)_. He had been killing for the past three years. Why should he care about one girl's death? Because I love her, he thought. Even if she had been pushy at times, she was the only one that could warm his heart. She would always make him smile when impossible. She was his…his sheath._

"_Must we kill her? Maybe we could take her with us," Kenshin suggested. Shiro just laughed._

"_You must be getting soft, Battousai. If we don't kill her, the shogun will think we are weak. Then all our threats will be empty and we will lose this war."_

"_Shiro's right," Katsura decided. "I know it is hard, Kenshin, but I warned you. If the shogun doesn't respond within the hour, you will execute her."_

_

* * *

You will execute her. Those words echoed in his head. How could he? He loved her so much. No, he thought. He was a samurai. He lived by Bushido (2). He was to protect the cause of the Meji at any cost. He grabbed his sword and looked at the clock. It was time. Shishio had just walked into his room._

"Are you ok, buddy?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's get this over with." They slowly walked to Kaoru's room. She was sitting on her bed combing her hair with her mother's comb. She looked so happy and beautiful in the sunset's light. But when she saw Kenshin's solemn face, her smiled faded. She knew something was wrong, so she didn't bother asking. "The shogun hasn't left. I'm sorry." Kaoru got up and hugged him.

"It's alright. It's not your fault. You have to do what you have to do." She didn't fight them as they tied her hands and led her to the dungeon downstairs where Katsura and Shiro stood. This was actually the first time that she felt remorse. She had an idea what was going to happen to her.

* * *

When they arrived in the execution room, Kaoru was forced to kneel down while Katsura spoke.

"Kaoru Kamiya, the shogun has refused to fulfill our requests. Unfortunately, we must fulfill our end of the bargain. We told him if he hadn't moved out of the city, we would execute you as a sign of our seriousness. Do you have any last words or requests?" Kaoru shook her head as the blindfolded her. She would accept her fate. She would have rather died than go back to Kyochi anyways. "Kenshin," Kenshin stepped forward with his sword. He placed it on the back of Kaoru's neck and lifted it in the air. For some reason, he hesitated.

"What's wrong, Battousai? Do it," Shiro yelled.

"Please, Kenshin," Kaoru said. "I don't want to live anymore. Don't make this harder than it already is. Just do it." Kenshin saw a tear trail down her face. He yelled and swung. The blindfold fell to the ground and Kaoru opened her eyes. She quickly looked up at Kenshin and her eyes widened. Kenshin was…crying. "Kenshin, what are you doing?"

"Yes, Kenshin," Shishio said. "What are you doing?"

"I can't kill her. It isn't right. She has done nothing wrong. She doesn't deserve to die. If you want, kill her yourself. But you'll have to kill me first." Katsura drew his sword and pointed it at Kenshin's neck.

"No! Stop it!" Kaoru yelled as tears ran down her face. "Kenshin, I beg you! Just kill me! It's not worth your life!"

"She's right," Katsura said as he sheathed his sword. "You do not deserve to die. You will stay with us." Kenshin walked to her and cut her ropes. She quickly hugged him and cried into his chest.

"I thought I was going to lose you," she sobbed.

"No, I will always be here for you. I'm not going anywhere." He didn't want to admit the real reason he had saved her. He didn't want to tell her that he really loved her. I guess that's what happens when true love gets in the way, Katsura thought. Then there was an explosion outside. People were yelling and screaming. "What was that?"

* * *

Sorry about the cliffhanger. I had to do. I hope you liked this chapter. Keep reading and reviewing.

1. Everyone around here says "For God's sake!" or "Oh God!" I thought it might be neat to say "For Buddha's sake!" instead.

2. Bushido is the code of the Samurai in case you don't know.


	8. Compromise

Hey, thanks for all the reviews. Since you gave me your two cents, I've decided to update this story first. I hope you like it.

**Compromise**

There was a sudden explosion outside the manor. Everyone in the dungeon turned there heads to the sound of yelling men. "What was that?" Kenshin asked as he helped Kaoru off the ground.

"It sounds like the city is being attacked," Shishio said, but Katsura shook his head.

"No, the city is not under attack. We are under attack." Everyone gasped at Katsura's words. How could they be under attack? No one knew where they were. Unless…

"That means," Shiro started, "that the shogun's army has found us."

"But how? We were so well hidden," Shishio stated.

"Maybe," Shiro said, "the girl found a way to give our hiding place to them."

"That's absurd!" Kenshin yelled. "Miss Kaoru has been guarded by either me or Shishio the whole time she has been here. She hasn't been allowed to leave the grounds. How could she betray us?" Shiro pointed his sword at Kenshin.

"Maybe you are the one who betrayed us, Battousai."

"Never," Katsura said. "Kenshin would never betray us. He is a true samurai and would never hand over his colleagues. He is the most loyal among us."

"Let him prove it," Shiro said. "He shall be the one to face the intruders. I think that will prove his devotion to us."

"Well, Kenshin, do you accept this challenge?" Shishio asked. Kenshin looked Kaoru then his friends. He couldn't betray them. He had to live up to them. He started walking up the stairs, soon followed by Kaoru and the other samurais. He looked out the window of the grand hall, only to find that it was the Shinsengumi that had found them. The leader, Saitou, who Kenshin had fought before, addressed them.

"Rebels, unless you want us to show you no mercy, you will hand over the future Shogun Kyochi's fiancé. If you do not come out with her, we will burn your stronghold." Kenshin looked at Kaoru as she shook her head.

"No, Kenshin. You'll be killed. I've seen what the Shinsengumi has done to their victims. They completely tear them apart. You can't…" Kenshin stopped her by putting his finger on her lips.

"I can't put it off any longer. I must face them. It's my destiny." He opened the door and walked out. Kaoru watched through the crack in the door. She started crying when Katsura put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Miss Kaoru. He knows what he is doing."

Kenshin stopped a few feet away from them, careful not to show them his eyes or his emotion. "You will turn back now and pretend you never came here. The shogun has failed to adhere to our requests. We will not hand over the girl."

"We have been ordered to retrieve her at any cost," Saitou said as he drew his sword. "If that means killing a few rebels, I'll be glad to." Kenshin looked up. He now had his battle face on, his Battousai face. Saitou immediately recognized him. "I remember you. Red hair, cross-shaped scar, a stare of death, you are the Battousai. I will enjoy fighting you again. Only this time, I will defeat you." Kenshin drew his sword and pointed it at Saitou.

"I don't think so. I will not let you escape this time. This time, I will kill you." At these words, Kenshin completely disappeared. Saitou realized what he did and turned around, blocking Kenshin's attack. Kenshin stepped back and then advanced. Their swords met again and again. Both seemed to be equal rivals. It was until Saitou used his right-hand thrust that the action started. Saitou's sword managed to graze Kenshin's shoulder. But Kenshin then counterattacked with a dragon strike. Unfortunately, he missed Saitou, allowing Saitou to slice into Kenshin's side. Kenshin fell backwards as Saitou laughed.

"This is not the Battousai I fought before. He was a lot faster and more precise. Is it possible…that the great manslayer has become soft? If so, I will end this samurai's life and any chance of the rebellion to succeed."

"STOP!" Saitou looked over as Kaoru ran in front of Kenshin, shielding him from Saitou. "Stop this now! Do not hurt him anymore! I'm the one you want! Take me!" Saitou walked closer to Kaoru. Kenshin tried to stop her, but it took all his strength just to hold himself up on his sword.

"Kaoru, what are you doing?" Kenshin moaned. "You must stop."

"Do you mean to say that you are Miss Kaoru Kamiya, Kyochi's wife-to-be?" Kaoru nodded.

"I am. I have a deal for you. Kyochi wanted me back safe and sound, right? He made a promise to these men. He promised that the shogun and his army would leave if I was returned to him alive. If I come back with you, the shogun must leave Edo to the rebels. Furthermore, I will only leave with you if you promise not to hurt these men anymore."

"Kaoru, no," Kenshin yelled as he tried to stable himself on his sword.

"Do we have a deal?" Kaoru asked. Saitou smiled.

"Alright, we will make the compromise." Kaoru shook his hand in agreement and then turned to Kenshin.

"Kaoru, you mustn't," Kenshin gasped. Kaoru walked over to him and hugged him.

"You saved me once. It's my turn. Kenshin, listen to me. You have to stay alive. If you ever want the people to be equal, you must fight for the Meji and stay alive. That is the only way our country will be at peace. You will live to become a great legend if you go on. Everyone around the world will know you as the liberator of the Japanese people. But if you give your life away now, your name will be forgotten, and all your hard work will be for nothing. Please, you have to survive. Just remember one thing." She kissed him passionately. She always wanted to show her emotions to him. She wanted him to know how she felt. "I will always remember you and love you. Please, don't forget me." He looked down and saw that Kaoru had left her brush in his hands.

She got up and walked over to the Shinsengumi. "Better tie her up," one swordsman said as they tied her with ropes. "Her father taught her the Kamiya Kasshin style." The men led Kaoru away, but not before she could get one last glance at Kenshin's tears.

He couldn't believe it. She had given herself up so he could live. Why? Why would she do that? He should be the one to die, not her. He let the tears flow out of his eyes. He hadn't cried like this since Tomoe died. He couldn't take it anymore.

"KAORU!"

* * *

Yep, that's the end of this chapter. I hope it wasn't too short. I hope the fight scene was long enough. I suck at fight scenes. There will be more. I promise. It will be better.

**Reviewers:**

Here is my specially saved block for my few, yet very faithful, important reviewers. I would like to say thanks to all my reviewers. I also would like to answer some questions and comments.

**Animelover: **Hmm...That's a very good question. It could very well be Kami. Whenever I watch anime, they always have Buddhism as the main religion. You could be right though. I know a lot about Japan before WWI, but that is one of the few questions I can't answer. You stumped me.

**Royal BlueKitsune: **I love that song. Fallen is the first song I heard from Mya. I'm glad you compared my story to it. That's a neat habit. Thanks for reviewing.

**Angel-of-dark-spirits: **I'm not sure yet. I'm not planning to kill either of them. You'll just have to see. Can't wait to read more of your stories.

**Larie-chan: **You're welcome. I hate it when people make Kaoru sound wimpy. Unfortunately, I've probably done it too. They made her super wimpy in Reflection. All she did was get kidnapped and Kenshin would save her. I still loved the movie. Sorry about the cliffhanger.

**KissKenshin7: **Thanks. I'm glad someone likes my stories so much. (Unlike a certain someone that keeps flaming everyone. You know who you are so I won't say your name, **GOBOND!**) Did I say that out loud? But really. When people write nasty stuff about people for no reason at all, and everyone else likes the story, it tends to stick with that person. I'm glad that you don't flame.

**Flamers: **So far, no one has flamed me on this story. I love constructive criticism. I hate it when people yell, make threats, and curse you. We just had a shooting threat at our tiny, in-the-middle-of-nowhere school. So please don't. Flamers, BEWARE OF THE WRATH OF PATIENCE!

Thanks for reviewing. I won't harass you if you don't harass me. I love all reviewers and fan fiction is meant to express yourself and how you feel about certain stories. Thanks again. Cya.


	9. Betrayal

**Betrayal**

Kenshin sat on the floor of his room as Katsura tended to his wounds. He had just finished bandaging the Battousai's stomach wound and was about to stitch up his shoulder. Kenshin pushed his leader's hand away when he tried to wipe the blood away. Katsura just stared at him as he took the needle in his hand.

"If you're going to go after her," he said as he started stitching, "forget it. You'll endanger the girl and our cause. You might as well just let it go."

"How could I let this happen?" Kenshin said in a harsh voice. "Why did I let them take her? I was supposed to protect her. Now she's with that filthy piece of trash." Katsura was starting to get worried. Besides the fact that Kenshin hadn't flinched since he started sewing his wounds, he was worried because ever since Katsura had known Kenshin, the only time he had seen Kenshin like this was when he visited him after Tomoe's death. He must have been hurting.

"It's not your fault, Kenshin. She chose to go with the Shinsengumi so that you could go on with life and fight for the cause. Like she said, if she hadn't gone, we would all be dead right now, and all of our hard work would have been flushed down the toilet (1)."

"It still might be." They both turned towards the doorway and found Shiro standing in it. "If I know the shogun, he will not keep his promise. His son will find a loophole and his army will stay and try to destroy us." Kenshin looked at the samurai's cold eyes. Only this time, they weren't cold. They were filled with sympathy. Kenshin even thought that Shiro smiled at him. "You might get to save her after all." Kenshin smiled back and put his cloths on. Then he took out the comb that Kaoru gave him before the Shinsengumi took her away.

"I will find you, Kaoru," he whispered. "I promise."

* * *

It was almost midnight as the Shinsengumi marched through the streets with their prisoner. Kaoru had thought a lot about what she would do when she got back to the castle, but she couldn't get the thought out of her head that her Kenshin would return and save her. But what if he didn't? What if Kenshin had already forgotten her and went back to being a hitokiri (2)?

The Shinsengumi led her into a cellar and down a trapdoor. It felt like they walked down a never-ending staircase. Then, after what seemed like and eternity, they started to ascend until they arrived in a dark, stone room. Shackles hung from the ceiling and on the blood stained walls. In the middle stood a block of wood with chains on it that came up to Kaoru's waistline. The floor smelt horribly of human flesh and blood. It almost made her vomit. Kaoru knew what this horrible place was. This was where prisoners were tortured and executed. Kyochi even made her watch him chop a man's head off here once. She started shaking a little but then took control of herself. She wouldn't let this scare her.

The samurais started laughing as they threw a noose over a rafter. "We'll see how brave you are," one said as they tightened it around her neck, causing her to make a chocking sound. "If we bring the shogun a dead girl, then he'll have no choice but to attack the rebels." They all started laughing as they pulled the rope, lifting Kaoru off the ground. She started choking from being strangled. "Look how fast her feet are kicking. She's flying!" Just as she was losing consciousness, a sword flew through the air and cut the rope, causing her to fall to the ground. The sword had landed in the chest of the man that had ordered Kaoru to be hanged. All the men watched as Saitou picked up his sword, casually wiped the blood off, and replaced it in its hilt. Kaoru lay on the ground coughing and trying to catch her breath.

"Why would you do such a thing?" he growled at them. "We were commanded to bring Kyochi's fiancé back safely. This is almost like treason. You should all face this punishment." He quickly helped Kaoru up and looked at her. There was a rope burn where the noose wrapped around her neck. He removed the noose, deciding that the mark couldn't be helped. "I will take her back. Find some rebel samurais to kill."

* * *

As he led her up to the castle, she had to ask him questions. "Why didn't you let me die? You could have gotten your city back and crushed the rebels."

"I am here to serve the shogun. Nothing more, nothing less. As long as I am alive, I will protect you. I was ordered to do so when your father made the deal that you should be married to the shogun's son. Unfortunately, I was on a mission when you were kidnapped. I blame myself for the brutality you have faced while with them. I hope you can forgive me."

"Actually," Kaoru started remembering all the good times she had had with Kenshin. "It wasn't as bad as one might think."

They came to Kyochi's room. Before they entered, Saitou cut Kaoru's binds and then pushed her in. Kyochi smiled and ran to her with a hug and kiss on the forehead. "My sweet Kaoru, welcome home." Kaoru smiled at him, but he knew something was wrong. He ignored it and continued. "I see you have returned home safely. But before we go on, I must ask you a vital question. Did you give those rebel scum any information about our plans?"

"You never tell me anything about the shoguns plans," she replied. "I don't have any information to give away." Kyochi smiled and kissed her on the forehead once again.

"That's a good girl. You will make an excellent wife. I hope those samurais didn't hurt you."

"No, I was treated well. Speaking of treated…"

"Yes," Kyochi said with a smile. "I will have a bath and feast made in your honor. We will celebrate your return." Kaoru stared at the floor.

"That's…not what I meant. Your father made a promise to the samurai." Kyochi glared at Kaoru. How could she be siding with them? Wasn't she glad she was home? He brushed it off and smiled at her.

"Yes, I'll have father order the army to abandon Edo at once." He kissed her and brushed his hand against her neck. Then he found the rope burn. He suddenly erupted with anger. "What is this? I thought I told them not to harm you."

"No, that's not from them. It's from…" Kyochi quickly interrupted her.

"Don't lie to me! I know very well where it is from. Those rebels tried to hang you, I see. Well, they didn't fulfill their end of the bargain, and neither will we. Saitou, tell father that we will attack the rebels with full force. They have betrayed us, and we will crush them for it."

"No, Kyochi. You can't. You don't understand." Kyochi slapped her across the face and grabbed his whip.

"You dare question me?" He started whipping her back as she screamed. "I will not marry an ungrateful wench. You better start acting like a lady." He stopped after about twenty lashes. Kaoru tried not to cry from the pain, but she had to let out a few whimpers. "I will find the samurai that did this to you and slaughter him. It's for your own good, you know." He knelt down and kissed her gently on the lips. "Take a bath and get ready for dinner. I have to get ready for our attack." He left her in his room so she could cry to herself.

What was she going to do? Kyochi was going to kill Kenshin, and there was nothing she could do about it. "Kenshin," she whimpered, "where are you?"

* * *

Yeah, sorry if I made you cringe a little. And if I made Kaoru sound wimpy, sorry about that. There will be a lot of action in the next chapter, but it might take awhile to write. So please be patient.

1. I'm not sure if they had toilets in Japan back then. I'm not even sure if the toilet was invented yet.

2. A hitokiri is a manslayer.

**Reviewers:**

**royal blueKitsune: **Ha, you're funny. Don't worry. There will be plenty of bloodshed on the Battousai's part in the next chapter. I didn't want him to be so bloodthirsty too soon in the story. Violence, sword fighting, blood, and dismembered body parts coming up!

**Animelover: **That's great. I can't wait to read your stories. You better let me know when it gets posted.

**Gypsy-chan:** Awesome! That's great that you posted my story. I don't mind. Post away! I want more readers! Thanks again.

And if there is anyone I missed, I'm really sorry. Thank you for reviewing my story. Keep watching. It might be awhile before the next chapter comes out though. Thanks again. Cya!


	10. Battles of Honor, Loyalty, and Love

Hey, everyone. This chapter is going to be a long one, probably my longest. I'll probably have an epilogue too. So, without further ado, whatever that means, here is the next chapter.

**Battles of Honor, Loyalty, and Love**

Kenshin, Katsura, and Shiro all made their way towards the castle gates. They knew they had to work fast if they wanted to save the revolution. As they finished climbing to the top, they noticed the Meji Army moving towards the city.

"Those fools," Katsura said. "I told them to wait until we reach the shogun."

"It's ok, sir," Shiro said. "They can distract the army while we get into the castle." Katsura and Kenshin nodded as they jumped into the castle yard and made their way into the castle, killing guards stealthily as they went by. When they got into the ballroom, they felt something was wrong. The doors in front of them opened and, to their surprise, Shishio stepped out.

"Shishio," Kenshin said. "Have you infiltrated the castle already?" Shishio just laughed at his predecessor.

"You fool, you know that this revolution is a waste of time. I cannot allow your rebellion to go on any further."

"Shishio, have you gone mad?" Katsura said.

"No, I am perfectly sane. I can't avoid my motto or my destiny any longer. I will make sure things return back to the way of the old days. The strong shall survive and the weak shall perish. Don't you agree, Shiro?" Katsura and Kenshin looked at Shiro with shock. Surely the long sword fighter hadn't betrayed them.

"Shiro," Kenshin said, "What is he talking about? Have you?" Shiro bowed his head. Kenshin turned to Shishio again. "A sword is meant to kill people. Samurais are to live by Bushido and do whatever their lord says. That much is true. But our mission is to protect those that can't hold a sword or fight with one. We will bring equality to the people. They shall not live in fear."

"Shiro, is what this man says true?" Katsura asked.

"It is true. I was with Shishio when we joined forces with the Shinsengumi. I have betrayed you all." Shishio laughed aloud as he drew his sword.

"I will make sure that your heads are given to that wench!" He then charged at Katsura. Katsura tried to unsheathe his sword but it was stuck. Just when Shishio's blow was made, Shiro jumped in with his long sword. The two samurais looked at the traitor with surprise once again. "Shiro, what are you doing? You are on my side."

"I was on your side when you were with Captain Katsura. I pledge allegiance to him, and now I have betrayed him. Please forgive me. Kenshin, I never thought I would like you. I thought you were just a ruthless killer. But I now know that you are a man of honor and courage. You will fight for the people and live a life of honor. Go save Miss Kaoru while I rid us of the traitor."

"Thank you, Shiro," Kenshin said as he and Katsura ran through the doors. Shishio tried to follow but Shiro blocked his path. Shishio chuckled at him.

"I would have thought that you would choose to be strong and live."

"I will be strong. But when this is over, I will receive my punishment for my betrayal." They both started fighting. Both were equally match. Shiro knew he must defeat him for Kenshin. He would not back down from Shishio.

* * *

Kaoru sat in her room in a new kimono. The one that Kenshin had given her was ruined by Kyochi. She tried to be strong for his sake. She knew if she let Kyochi know she was weak, then he would win. She wiped away her tears when Saitou came in.

"Lord Kyochi would like your presence on the fighting roof." Kaoru got up and walked to him. She then knelt down and moved her hair to expose the back of her neck.

"Kill me," she whispered. Saitou stared at her with his emotionless eyes. "I said kill me. That is an order."

"Give me a good reason why I should," he asked. Tears started to fall from her eyes to the floor.

"I have no will to live anymore." Saitou was astonished by her words.

"Don't you wish to live under the protection of the shogun? Do you not want to live an easy life and never have to worry about anything?" Kaoru lifted her head to show him her bloodshot eyes.

"All of that means nothing if I am not with him." Saitou knew that she was talking about the Battousai at that point. "What life would I be able to live if I knew that the one I loved was killed because of me? I could never love Kyochi. So why should I have to bear that pain?" Saitou drew his sword and pointed it at her, ready to strike. Kaoru closed her eyes and waited for the blow. "Do it." He simply smiled and sheathed his sword. He picked her off the ground and stood her on her feet.

"I am still your protector. No matter what happens in life, we have to accept the good and the bad. We all have our cross to bear. All we can do is hope that things will work out for the best." Kaoru knew he was right. She smiled and let the men escort her. Just as she left, a soldier ran to Saitou's side.

"Lord Saitou, there are intruders in the castle. It is the Battousai!" Saitou smiled and walked into the hallways. I will finally finish this, Battousai the Manslayer.

* * *

Katsura and Kenshin continued to run through the hallways of the castle, but they were suddenly stopped by a wall of Shinsengumi soldiers lead by Saitou. He grinned as he said, "It looks like you have reached a dead end, men." Saitou drew his sword and signaled his men to stand down. "I will finish this." Kenshin was ready to draw his sword, but Katsura stopped him.

"Kenshin, you must find Kaoru and get her out of here. I'll take care of this pest." Kenshin nodded.

"It has been an honor to serve under you," Kenshin whispered to his master.

"Don't think you're done yet," Katsura said with a smiled. "Go, NOW!" Kenshin ran past Saitou and killed the troops blocking his way, leaving Katsura to the Shinsengumi leader.

"Do you do this out of pride or courage?" Saitou asked Katsura as he clashed swords with his foe.

"Neither," Katsura answered. "I had an oath not to fight ever again, but I will make an exception for Kenshin. I do it out of friendship and loyalty."

* * *

Kenshin made his way through the castle. He finally reached the highest part of the castle. He opened the final door which led to an open arena for fighting on the roof surrounded by metal fences. In the middle stood Kyochi with his sword drawn. Behind him stood two soldiers securing Kaoru.

"It looks like you have found my hiding place, Battousai the Manslayer. Are you ready to offer your neck and end this pointless rebellion?" Kenshin glared at Kyochi as he heard the lord's words. Kaoru smiled, but then frowned at Kenshin. He had changed somehow. This wasn't the man she knew. His eyes were cold like Saitou's, as if he had no emotion.

"Kyochi, you and your father have wronged the people enough. I will make sure that the people are freed from your tyranny." Kenshin words made Kyochi laugh as he pointed his sword at the manslayer. "I see there is no reasoning with you. That being the case, I must kill you."

"I will not submit to a slave. I will make Kaoru watch your death. Then I will display your body so the people will know of your treason and of my power." Kyochi charged at Kenshin with full force. Both blades met with a spark. Kaoru was worried. Kenshin, she thought, run away. You don't know what he is capable of.

The two continued to fight. Kyochi thought he had Kenshin. His sword swung down on Kenshin's head, but he didn't feel the impact. Kyochi turned around and felt Kenshin's blade slice his shoulder. Kenshin landed behind him as Kyochi staggered to his feet. Kenshin quickly shook the blood off his sword as Kyochi faced him with a smile.

"You sure do live up to your name. I didn't even see you move on that last attack. I don't know what I am going to do."

"Why don't you die?" There was a bolt of lightning followed by thunder after Kenshin said this. Kyochi only laughed.

"It looks like we are in for a thunderstorm," he said as he pointed his sword to the sky. This can't be good, Kenshin thought. He will get struck by lightning if he keeps his sword up like that. "I have been training for years to perfect my technique. It is called the 'Wrath of the Heavens.' And, no, it is not anything like the ninja Rikimaru's 'Wrath of Heaven (1).' This is quite different. I have trained my body to absorb electric charges, like in lightning." Suddenly, a bolt of lightning hit his sword, causing a burst of light to blind everyone on the roof. When the light cleared, Kyochi and his sword were emitting electric sparks. "Now I can control the power of lightning."

"How could he survive that?" Kenshin asked. "He should be a crisp corpse by now. He shouldn't be able to stand the pain from the electric shock."

"Oh, but I can. And when I use it against my enemy," He charged at Kenshin and sliced his shoulder. But that was not it. Kenshin's body shook in pain as an electric current was sent through his bones. He tried to hold himself up on his sword as Kyochi laughed. "I can send an electric pulse through my enemy's body, causing them to feel like they were electrocuted. This technique works wonders on getting information from prisoners. It's also fun for torture." Kaoru watched in horror as Kyochi and Kenshin fought. She knew that Kenshin wouldn't escape.

* * *

Shiro and Shishio continued to fight. Both had wounded each other badly. Shishio had to ask his friend one last question. "Why are you willing to give up your life for something so ridiculous like this rebellion? You know very well that the strongest should rule over the weak."

"Everyone deserves a chance in life, whether they are gods or just slaves. We are the samurai of the Meji Army. We protect the innocent and punish the guilty." Shiro went to finish his opponent, but was stopped when a bullet hit him in the leg. Several men from the Meji Army were aiming their weapons at Shiro. Shishio smiled at the soldiers.

"I'm so happy you are here. This traitor almost had me." The men pointed their guns at Shishio, causing him to back away. "What are you doing?" A man in a general's uniform stepped forward. Shishio immediately bowed to him. "General Yamagata Aritomo, I have captured this traitor. Shall I kill him now or wait for his public execution."

"We will wait for your execution." Shishio gasped at Aritomo's words. "You have betrayed us to the Shinsengumi. You will be tried for your crimes. Arrest them both." The men bond the two samurais and led them away.

"You will pay for this," Shishio whispered before he was taken away.

* * *

In the hallway, Saitou and Katsura paused from fighting. Both were tired and wounded. Saitou smiled at his opponent. "You are two weak to fight, are you not?"

"Yeah, my muscles are on fire," Katsura said.

"I can barely lift my arms," Saitou said. "Let us put off our battle. I believe that we have some friends to save." Katsura nodded as they ran to the fight that was still in progress.

* * *

Kenshin continued to fight. He was able to keep the shocks at bay when he met swords with Kyochi, for his sword butt was made of wood. But when Kyochi missed him, Kenshin's body was enclosed in bolts of electricity, causing him to go on all fours. Kyochi just laughed.

"You can't win, Battousai. You are just a slave. You cannot protect yourself from the son of the shogun, let alone your girlfriend or the people of this country. You have failed everyone, including your precious Tomoe." Kenshin growled at his words. Kaoru couldn't stand it anymore. She had to do something.

"Kenshin, listen to me!" she yelled. "You have to get up. All the people of Japan are depending on you. If you don't save them, no one will. Please, get up." By this time, tears were falling from her eyes. "Kenshin, if you die, who will I have left to love?"

Kenshin's eyes opened wide. That was something that Tomoe would say. He knew he had to get up. He loved Kaoru too much to let her down. Suddenly, there was a boost of energy inside of his body. He rose to his feet and started to attack.

"I see you got your second wind," Kyochi coaxed. "Too bad it will be your last!" This time, Kenshin had the upper hand. He could handle the lightning. Every time Kenshin attacked he got a slice of Kyochi. Kyochi finally stood up and faced Kenshin. "I've had enough. It's time for my ultimate attack. Lightning Strike!"

"I can not permit this to go on any longer. When I said I would kill you," Kenshin put his sword back in his sheath as he watched as Kyochi powered his sword. "That means I will kill you." Kenshin's eyes were now in a deadly stare. But Kyochi didn't let that bother him. He quickly advanced towards Kenshin. The way Kyochi moved towards Kenshin was unspeakable. It was like a blur. At first, Kenshin couldn't see it. But in the final second, Kenshin drew his sword.

"BATTOJUTSU!" Kenshin yelled as his sword swept across Kyochi's chest. Kyochi dropped his sword and fell to the ground. Kenshin quickly turned to the guards holding Kaoru, who ran away at his eyes. Kaoru couldn't believe her eyes. She couldn't even see the movement of the sword. But it was his eyes that scared her. She winced when Kenshin approached. "The Battojutsu is the god-speed sword of the Hiten Mitsurugi style. It is the fastest and deadliest attack by a sword known to man, letting its user to strike his opponent before there is time to react. Luckily," Kenshin turned his blade so the sharp side was on the right side. Kaoru smiled as Kenshin's eyes returned to normal. "I used the dull side of my blade to attack. Kyochi will have trouble breathing when he awakes, but we will be able to turn him over to the Meiji alive."

"Kenshin," Kaoru said as she hugged him. "I thought you would die for sure."

"I could never leave you, Kaoru," he replied. "I love you too much."

Kaoru smiled and cried as Kenshin held her. Then he noticed Kyochi move and pull a gun from his kimono. "You will die, bitch!"

"Kaoru, look out!" Kenshin shouted as Kyochi pulled the trigger. Blood dripped on the ground. Kaoru opened his eyes and saw Kenshin with his back to her and his arms stretched out in front of her. He started to shake, and then Kaoru caught him as he fell to his knees. He had taken a bullet for her in the side.

"You will soon join him, you stupid… " Kyochi suddenly fell to the ground as blood dripped from the sword that pierced his neck, Saitou's sword.

"It looks like karma has caught up with you," Saitou said. Katsura walked from behind as two guards fell at his feet.

"Yes, but unfortunately, his karma got her, too." They watched as Kaoru tried to shake Kenshin awake while the rain fell down on them.

"Kenshin, wake up. Say something!" Kaoru started to cry when she saw that he wasn't moving. She decided that this would be the last time she would see him. She wanted to kiss him so badly. She closed her eyes and kissed him with everything she had. She stopped when she felt arms go around her and slide down to her butt. She suddenly lost it and slapped Kenshin. "YOU PERVERT! WHY!" She then stopped when she saw Kenshin's purple orbs and soft smiled. She started crying when she saw that he was alive. She embraced him as hard as she could, almost too hard.

"Miss…Kaoru, can't…breath!" he gasped. Kaoru quickly let go and stared at him with apology.

"I'm sorry, Kenshin. Wait a minute, why aren't you dead?" she asked.

"Yes, Battousai," Katsura said. "Why are you alive?" Kenshin smiled as he pulled out Kaoru's comb that she had given him back at the mansion. He then handed it back to her.

"Sorry about the crack," he said examining the bullet mark left in the comb. Kaoru immediately punched him over the head.

"You idiot, my mother gave this to me! How am I suppose to replace it?"

"Easy, Miss Kaoru," Saitou said. "He's hurt. We should get him some medical attention." Saitou looked over the arena wall and saw that the Meiji army was moving in. "Well, it looks like my job here is done. See ya." He then jumped over the wall, jumped down the roof, and ran across the village roofs.

"Let him go," Kenshin said. "I have a feeling we haven't see the last of him. Miss Kaoru," Kaoru looked at Kenshin with surprise. "I should have told you earlier, but…I loved you."

"I love you, too," she said as she kissed him. They both looked up and watched the clouds clear for the sunrise and a rainbow.

"It looks like it's going to be another beautiful day," Kenshinsaid as they all retreated back into the castle.

* * *

Phew, that was a long one. Don't worry. It's not the end yet. I plan to write one more chapter, like an epilogue. I hope you liked it.

1. Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven is actually a game. I don't know why I put that in there.

**Reviewers:** Thanks for reviewing again. I got more reviews than I expected. But I have to answer some people.

**Dayof46: **Sorry, I love cliffhangers. It keeps the readers reading, don't you think? Did I hook you?

**Royal blueKitsune: **Yeah, I have a "creative and unique" mind. Ok, so I'm crazy. But that's what makes the story great. It is still good, right?

**Enchanted sleeper: **Keep your fingers crossed. Thanks for reviewing. Some people thought I made Kaoru wimpy. I think I made her a little helpless.

**Me:** Nah, you had the right. Thanks for the compliments. It aggravates me when people keep making the same mistake when you tell them over and over again which ones to correct. I guess some people don't get it.

**D2Killerz:** Tomoe was Kenshin's first love. She was supposed to keep him sane from killing, his sheath if you will. They were also supposed to pretend to be married after the attack in Kyoto. They loved each other so much that they wanted to be married for real. That was when Tomoe betrayed Kenshin because he killed her fiancé at the beginning of Samurai X Trust/Betrayal. She ended up saving him, but at the cost of her own life. After Kenshin's sword swept through her, she gave him the finally mark of his crossed-shape scar. I hope that helps. I'm not the best explainer.

**Green Animelover:** Nice, puns are fun. (Hey, that rhymes.) But fighting Kyoshi was a shocking experience that Kenshin's glad is over. Pun intended, though probably stupid.

If I forgot anyone, I'm sorry. Thanks to everyone that reviewed. I should be able to get another chapter out. Cya.


	11. Her Most Beautiful Smile

Well, this is the last chapter. Sorry it took so long to produce. I've had a writer's block the whole summer, so I really couldn't write any new chapters. I hope you like it. I thought I would call it Her Most Beautiful Smile because it is a Rurouni Kenshin song and I love it. I've used the title in another story of mine, so spare me. I should probably stop boring and get to the story. But first, here are some reviews.

**Black Metalmark:** Thanks, I'm glad you liked the comparison between Kaoru and Tomoe. I don't know why, but I've always thought they looked the same.

**Ashley: **I was thinking about doing a sequel to this story, something about Kaoru and Kenshin's kid. It would include Yahiko, Sanosuke, Megumi, and most of the TV series characters. So keep your eyes open.

**Dayof46: **Thanks, I loved the comment. I am evil. ; )

**Skenshingumi: **Come on! You think Kenshin would let Kaoru be killed? Yes, he is still hitokiri, for now. He should go into "No Kill" mode. As for Saitou, Kyoshi was being dishonorable, and since Saitou was his teacher, he saw it as his duty to stop him. Plus, it was his duty to protect Kaoru. So there you go.

**Serenaclutz:** It would be more of a Samurai X look, except in this chapter. He would have his low ponytail and red shirt.

And now, the conclusion of **A Samurai's Heart**.

**A Samurai's Heart**

It was finally over. The revolution had ended and the new Meji Era had begun. The shogun had renounced his position after her found out his son had been assassinated. Deep down, he thought that Kyochi deserved to die. He knew that it would be best for Japan to end the war. The Shinsengumi disbanded as well as the Ishin Shishi. Saitou had completely disappeared. Everyone assumed that he got out of the country or started a new life somewheres in Japan. There were still consequences.

Shishio had been tried and found guilty of treason. He was put in front of a firing squad and then burnt alive. Unfortunately, the men executing him left him, allowing him to escape. Some weren't so lucky.

Shiro was sentence to death by decapitation. Some of his men tried to beg for mercy, but Shiro wouldn't listen to them. He accepted his fate. He knew that his death was just. He would receive his punishment with honor.

Katsura was allowed to live in peace **(1)**. For once, he didn't have to worry about war and fighting. He could finally live without his sword.

Fortunately, Kenshin and Kaoru managed to survive the war. Kaoru was finally free from Kyochi's power. She was allowed to return to her dojo. It felt so lonely though. She had no one to come home to, just an empty dojo. Her father was gone. How could she live like this?

Kenshin was finally free from killing. But he felt a heavy burden on his heart. He felt that he needed to atone for his crimes, including for murdering Tomoe. He felt that he should turn into a wanderer.

About a week after the incident, he was passing by in Edo. His wounds had healed and he was able to walk. He somehow found himself at a dojo. He could have sworn that he had been there before. Then it hit him. He was there before. This was where it all started. This was the same dojo that he had killed Officer Kamiya in. This was where he kidnapped Kaoru. He wanted to see her so bad. But now that the war was over, how would she react? Would she hate him? He didn't care. He went into the drill hall where Kaoru was meditating.

"Excuse me miss," he said.

"I'm busy," Kaoru said without turning around. She was deep in thought about what had happened in the past two months. She wondered where Kenshin was. She wondered if she would ever see him again.

"I'm looking for Miss Kaoru," he said ignoring her statement. She became angry and whipped around to yell at him but gasped when she saw that it was Kenshin. He had changed. He switched his blue and white stealth clotheswith a red shirt and white pants. He had also tied his hair in a low ponytail. Shewouldn'thave reconized him if it weren't for his kind, purple eyes. She couldn't believe it was him. After so long, he had finally come back to her. She was ready to cry, but she held back the tears.

"Kenshin," she whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I found myself here while wandering." Wandering, she thought. What did he mean by that? "I wanted to apologize for everything you went through."

"Why, Kenshin? It wasn't you fault." Kenshin shook his head.

"But you went through so much pain because of me. I've decided to become a wanderer to atone for my crimes." He pulled out his sword, only it was a sakabato **(2)**, not a regular katana. "I am going to use Hiten Mitsurugi as a way to save people and bring them happiness, not kill them and bring them despair." Kaoru couldn't believe what he was saving. It was great that he wanted to save people, but she had thought he had come back for her. She looked down at her feet in pity. She didn't want him to see her cry. She wanted to be strong.

He then pulled out something wrapped in cloth and gave it to Kaoru. She opened it up and was surprised to see it was her mother's hair comb. "I had it repaired. I thought you would want it. I will be on my way." That was when he saw the tears fall to the ground.

"I see. I hope you have a safe journey and a great life." She bowed and then turned her back to him. "I wish you the best." She then heard the door slide shut. That was when she fell to her knees. She buried her face into her hands and broke out crying. "How could have I been so stupid? I thought he loved me. I love him so much. But I'm not worthy to even kiss his feet. I am the one who caused him so much pain. I don't even deserve to live. I would rather die then live a lonely life." She grabbed a knife, ready to strike her breast. "I still love him with all my heart." She closed her eyes and braced herself for the blow, but something grabbed her hand. She opened her eyes and saw Kenshin's smile.

"Kaoru, I could never let you live alone. I love you too much." Kaoru's eyes grew in amazement. "When I met you, my heart was cold from war. In the war, I killed my wife, Tomoe. I thought I would never love again. But you showed me how to love again. The best medicine for my cold heart was your smile. It was your most beautiful smile." Kaoru couldn't hold it in anymore. She let her tears fall into Kenshin's lap as he held her.

"Kenshin, I love you so much. Please don't leave me. You can make people happy with your sword. But please, start by making me happy. I would live only for you. If being happy is a crime for you, then I will gladly carry that sin. I don't care what fate awaits me. I only want to be with you** (3)**. Forgive yourself. Please, I want you to marry me." Kenshin smiled at her.

"Kaoru, it would be my honor to be your wife." Kaoru smiled and kissed him. She couldn't believe that she would be with him for the rest of her life. That is all she ever wanted.

* * *

After they were married, Kaoru and Kenshin laid in each other's arms. Kaoru was happy to be with him. She was glad that she would be able to hold him forever. She would never be alone.

A month had passed since Kenshin and Kaoru had been together. Kenshin was on the bridge, thinking to himself. He was remembering all the days he had spent with Kaoru. She had warmed his heart. He would never forget those days. He was interrupted by Kaoru. She came up to him with tears in her eyes. Kenshin wondered why she was crying. Then he saw that most beautiful smile again. Then she spoke.

"Kenshin, you are going to be a father." Kenshin smiled as he hugged his wife.

* * *

Eight months passed like a day. Kaoru was just waking up from her sleep. She was so exhausted from the night before. When her eyes opened, she saw Kenshin holding their new child.

"Kaoru, we have a beautiful baby girl **(4)**." Kaoru cried and smiled as she held her baby girl. She had finally done it. She had a family. Kenshin was thinking the same thing. "What shall we name her, my Kenshin?"

"How about Haoru?" he asked.

"Haoru," she said with a smiled. "That is the perfect name." Kenshin hugged them both and started to cry. He finally had a family. He finally could forgive himself and live in happiness. He finally had someone to love and someone to love him. Kaoru looked down upon their new baby. "Welcome to our family, Haoru Himura."

* * *

Ok, before you go ballistic on me, her are some notes.

**1. **I really don't know what happened to Katsura. I'm sure there are a lot of theories, or there is a perfect explanation that I somehow missed.

**2. **A sakabatou is a reverse-blade sword, which means the cutting side is on the dull side and vise versa. Kenshin carries this sword in the tv series as a symbol of his oath to never kill again.

**3.**_You can make people happy with your sword. But please, start by making me happy. I would live only for you. If being happy is a crime for you, then I will gladly carry that sin. I don't care what fate awaits me. I only want to be with you. _This saying was actually from Samurai X: Reflection. I just thought I would let you know, plus I don't want to be charged with plagiarism. So here is your credit, ADV Films and Mr. Nobuhiro Watsuki.

**4.** I know that Kenshin and Kaoru originally had a boy, but I'm working this in to a possible sequence. Besides, I would rather have them have a girl. No offense boys.

And that concludes my series, A Samurai's Heart. It didn't exactly turn out the way I thought it should, but I hope you still liked it. Thanks for all the reviews. Cya.


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